Curtain roller construction



Sept, 13, 1932.

T. w. HOLT AL 1,876,939

CURTAIN ROLLER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 12. 19-30 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ff? I 19 & 3Q

A TTORNEYS Sept. 13,; 1932. T. w. l- -loLT ET A 1,876,939

CURTAIN ROLLER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 12. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet P ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 13, 1932 i UNETED sa as THOMAS W. 'HGLT AND JOHN F. LEVAN, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO EXCEL CURTAIN COMPANY, ELKEART, INDIANA, .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE V CURTAIN ROLLER jcoivsrnncrroiv Application nee. Augusta, 1930. SerialNo. 474,759.

This invention relates to rollers, such as sheet metal or tubular curtain rollers, and has for its object, a particularly simple, efficient and economical construction by which the mandrel and winding spring is mounted in the barrel, and the mandrel and its spring assembled as unit with the head at oneend of the barrel. I

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to'the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. p

Figure 1 is a. fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional View of a curtain roller'embodying my invention, one of the supporting brackets being shown.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of the opposite end portion of the roller from that seen in Figure 1.

Figures?) and 4 are respectively, sectional views taken on lines 33 and 4-4:, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a face View of one of the .sup porting brackets.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6, Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of the outer end portion of the'mandrel showing one of the heads of the barrel thereon, and the abutments for. holding the heads from axial displacement. I I

Figure 8 is an exploded view of the mandrel, spring anchor, head and means for holding the head in assembled relation to the mandrel.

This roller comprises generally, a hollow barrel, a tubular-mandrel mounted in the barrel, a coiled spring encircling he mandrel and anchored at one end thereto, and at the other end to the barrel, ahead mounted in one end of the barrelfin'which the outer end of the mandrel is jonrnalled, the outer end of V the mandrel being split or slotted at diametrically opposite points, means for holding the mandrel from axial displacement including abutments having cross bars extending through theslotted or split portions of the mandrel, the outer end of the mandrel beyond the abutments being pinched together to hold the outer abutment from outward-displacement and to form a fiattongue for entering a correspondingly shaped slot in the support.- I

ing bracket.

1 designates the barrel, this being usually formed up of sheet metal and being formed with an inwardly extending or reentrant longitudinal groove 2 in which is located means, not shown, for securing the curtain to the roller. The barrel construction itself forms no part of this invention.

3 is a hollow or tubular mandrel. This mandrel is usually formed by rolling a fiat strip so -that there is a slit or narrow'slot {i extendingthe full length thereof. The outer end of the mandrel is also formed with a slot 5, the walls of which are spaced apart as shown in Figure 8, and also the slit 4 is provided with a widened or slotted portion 6 diametrically opposite the inner end portion of theslot 5 and spaced from the outer end of themandrel; The mandrelis mounted at its inner end in arbearing member 7 .in the barrel, and at its outer end is journalled in a head 8. The head 8 is provided with segmental cylindrical flanges 9 which fit into the end of the barrel, and which are secured to the barrel in any suitable manner, usually by spot welding. The mandrel is held from axial shifting relatively tothe head 8 by means of abutments located on opposite sides of the head, each of these abutments having a cross bar extending through the slot 6, and the inner'end or wider portion ofthe slot 5. One of these abutments is here shown as a washer 10 having a cross bar 11, the cross bar extending through the slots 6 and 5 and abuts ting against the inner ends orbottom walls of the slots. A fibrous washer 12 is usually interposed between the washer 10 and the hub of the head 8. I V

The other abutment 13 is S-shaped ,with the intermediate part of the 8 formation constituting a cross bar, and the end portions overlying the periphery of the mandrel, the cross bar portion extending through the, slots 5 and 6 and abutting against the end walls 14 at'the outer end of the slot 6.-

' p The parts are held assembled by flattening the extremity of the slotted end of the mandrel 3 to form a flat tongue 15, the flattening of the arcuate portions 15 extending the fiattened portions beyond the periphery of the mandrel providing shoulders at 16 which together with the base portion 17 connecting the fiat portions with the major part of the mandrel, hold the abutment 13 from displace ment.

The tongue 15 co-acts with a slot 18 formed in supporting bracket 19 at one end of the barrel. There is a corresponding bracket 20 at the other end of the barrel having a stud 21 which enters a journal opening in a head 22 at the other end of the barrel.

23 are pawls pivoted at 2th to the head on the outside thereof and coacting with the end faces 25 of the end portions of the S shape abutment, these ends constituting teeth with which the pawls coact to normally hold the roller from retrograde movement by its spring tending to wind the rollers.

26 designates the spring coiled about the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto, and at its other end to the barrel. The means for anchoring the latter end to the barrel, is here shown as a U shaped clip 27 in the barrel. arranged astride the mandrel with its ends 28 on opposite sides of the walls of the groove 2, so that the anchor or clip is held by the walls of the groove from movement relatively to the barrel, although it can shift lengthwise of the barrel during the tensioning of the spring. There may be some lost motion between the ends of the anchor and the walls of the groove 2. Because of the groove 2, the spring is forced slightly out of coaxial relation with the barrel by the walls of the groove, as seen in Figure 4.

The bearing block 7 in which the inner end of the mandrel is mounted is preferably formedof fibrous material, and is oblong in general form extending diametrically of the barrel, the ends of the oblong being arcuate to conform to the curvature of the barrel. This bearing block is held from turning by the Wall of the inwardly extending groove 2. The'inner end of the mandrel is also flattened to widen it to a greater diameter than the opening in the block 7, tl rough which the mandrel extends.

In assembling, the mandrel, spring, hearing block 7 and the head 8 and associated parts are all assembled as a unit and inserted in the barrel as a unit, and then the head or the flanges 9 thereof secured to the barrel in any suitable manner, usually by spot welding. In assembling the mandrel unit, the spring with a clip attached is sleeved over the mandrel and the inner end of the spring anchored to the mandrel. The inner end of the spring is anchored to the mandrel due to the fact that the coils at said inner end grip the mandrel and grip it tighter due to the constriction of the coils on the mandreh The washers 10 and 12 are then placed on the mandrel, the cross bar 11 of the washer 10 entering the slot 5 and separating the walls of the slit 4 until the cross bar enters the widened portion or slot 6 of the split 4:. The head 8 is then passed onto the mandrel against the washer 12. The S shaped abutment 13 is then placed in position, the cross bar thereof entering the slot 5 and the outer end of the slit i, the cross bar separating the walls of the slit 4 while passing therethrough into the widened portion 6 of the slit 4, the abutment 13 being held against the head 8 and from outward displacement by the end walls of the slot, or widened part 6 of the slit 1. The outer end portion of the mandrel is then flattened as seen in Figure 7, the walls of the outer end of the slot 5 coming together during the flattening operation, and the walls of the portion of the slit 4 beyond the wider part of the slot 6 being projected laterally beyond the periphery of the mandrel forming the shoulder 16. The fiattening operation forms a tongue for entering the slot 18 of the supporting bracket 19. The ends of the abutment 13 form teeth for coaction with the pawls 23. The operation of the roller and the pawls is the same as in any curtain roller.

This curtain roller construction is particularly advantageous in that it is extremely simgle and economical in construction and lends itself to the proouction in large quantities of the rollers.

What we claim is:

1. A curtain roller construction comprising a barrel, a tubular mandrel having a bearing at its inner end in the bar el, a spring anchored at one end to the mandrel and at its other end to the barrel, a head mounted in. one end of the barrel in which the outer end of the mandrel is journalled,the outer end of the mandrel projecting beyond the head, and being flattened forming a tongue, and means for holding the mandrel from axial movement including said flattened portion.

2. In a curtain roller construction, the combination of a barrel, a mandrel in the barrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and at its other end to the barrel, the mandrel being slit longitudinally at its outer end, a head at one end of the barrel through which the outer end of the man- 'drel extends, abutments for holding the mandrel from axial displacement including'pon tions extending through the slit end of the mandrel, the portions of the slit end beyond the outer abutment being flattened to hold the outer abutment. from displacement.

3. In a curtain roller construction, the combination of a barrel, a mandrel in'the barrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and at its other end to the barrel, the mandrel being slit longitudinally at its outer end, a head at one end of the bar- 1 newest rel through which the, outer endof the mandrel extends, abutments' for holding the mandrel from axial displacement including portions extending through the slit end oi the mandrel, the portion of the slit end beyond the outer abutment being flattened to form a tongue and to hold the outer abutment from displacement, and a supporting bracket having a slot for receiving the tongue,

4. In a curtain roller, a barrel, a tubular mandrel mounted in the barrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto andat its other end to the barrel, the mandrel being providedat its outer end with lengthwise diametrically disposed slits, a head for one end of the barrel in which the outer end of the mandrel is journalled, abut ments on opposite sides of thehead,,each ineluding portions extending through the slits of the mandrel, the'outer abutment being 3 shaped with the bar of the 5 extending through the slitted end of the mandrel, and

the end portions of the S lying on the periphcry of the mandrel, a pawl mounted on the head an'dcoacting with the ends of the end portions of the S, and a supporting racket coacting with the outer end ofthemandrel to hold the same from turning.

5. A curtain roller comprising a barrel, a

tubular mandrel in the barrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and at its other end to the barrel, the outer end portion of the mandrel being formed with a lengthwise slot opening through the outer endiof the mandrel and having its side walls spaced apart and with a lengthwise slit diametrically opposite theslot, the slit. having. a widened portion spaced from the outer end of the mandrel,

the slit extending through the outer end of the mandrel and also extending lengthwise of the mandrel beyond the inner end of, the widened portion, a head for one'end of the barrel in which the outer end of the mandrel is journalled, abutments located on opposite sides of the head to hold the mandrel from axial displacement, the abutments having cross bars extending through the inner end portion of said slot and the widened part of the slit, the portion ofthe mandrel beyond the 1 outer abutment being flattened to form a flat tongue, and a supporting bracket having a slot for receiving thetongue.

6. A curtain roller comprising a barrel, a mandrel mountedin the barrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at oneend thereto and at its other end to the barrel, the

' outer end of the barrel being formed with a longitudinal slot having its side walls spaced apart, and a diametrically opposite slit, the walls of the inner end portion of which are spaced apart, and the walls of the outer portion of which are normally close together forming a slit, a head for one end of the'barrel in which the slotted end of the mandrel is 'gether torming a slit, a head for one endot the barrel iniwhich the slotted end of the mandrel is ournalled, abutments mounted on c the slotted end on opposite sides-of the head slit and abutting against the end walls 0 bination of a barrel, amandrelmou abutting against the end walls of the slot and the wider portion of the slit, and the outer end portion of the mandrel beyond the outer abutmentbeing flattened, whereby margins thereof project beyond the periphery of. the mandrelforming a shoulder coasting with theouter-abutment to hold the latter from outward displacement. c r

7. A curtainlroller comprising a barrel, mandrel mounted'in the barrel, a spring en circling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and at its other end to the barrel, the outer endorse barrel being formed with a longitudinal slot having its side walls spacedapart, and a diametrically opposite slit, th wallsof the "inn-er end portion of which are spaced apart, and the walls of the, outer portion of wl ch are normally close totohold the mandrel from axial displacement, the abutments having cross bars. extend' through the slot'and the wider portion slot and the wider portion of the slit, and outer end portion of the mandrel beyond tn outer abutment being flattened, whereby man gins thereof projectbeyond the pcri e v of the mandrel forminga shoulder coacting the outer abutment 'to hold the l outward displacement, and a bracket having means for receiving end portion of themandrel and ho. ring it from turning movement, the outer'abutment being in the general form of an S, the intermediate part of which-forms a crossbar, and the ends of which overlie the periphery of the mandrel, and the head having a pawl mounted thereon coacting with the ends of the end portionsof the 5'3. e

8. In acnrtain roller construction,tl1e combination of a barreha mandrel mounted in the barrel, aspri-ng encircling'the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto, means for choring the other end otthe spring to the barrel including a U shaped clip enga ing e walls of the barrel and arranged astr spaced apart from the mandrel, the barrel having an inward projection extending between the arms of the clip. r 1

' 9. In acurtain roller construction,'the coinlin and anchored at one end theretd, L anchoring the other end of the sp 3 barrel including a U shaped clip sin, g. the 'VVZIllS' OflT the barrel and arrangedastride andfspaced apart from the mandrel'ythe'bar rel being provided with a lengthwise groove, the Walls of which project into the barrel between the ends of the clip.

10. In a curtain roller construction, the

",tAfcOmbinatiOn of a barrel, a mandrel in the combination of a barrel, a mandrel in the.

barrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and at the other end to the barrel, the mandrel being slit longitudinally throughout its length, a head at one end of the barrel through which the outer end of the mandrel extends, and abutments for holding the mandre from axial displacement including portions extending through the slit of the mandrel on opposite SlClQS'Of the head, the slit being formed with a widened portion spaced apart from the outer end of the mandrel for receiving the said portions, the out-er end of the mandrel being flattened.

12. In a curtain roller construction, the combination of a barrel, a mandrel in the barrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and at the other end to the barrel, the mandrel being slit longitudinally throughout its length, a head at one end of the bar cl through which the outer end of the mandrel extends, and abutments for holding the mandrel from axial displacement including portions extending through the slit ofthe mandrel on opposite sides of the head, the slit being formed with a widened portion spaced apart from the outer end of the mandrel for receiving said portions, the mandrel being also formed with a lengthwise slot extending inwardly from its outer end and arranged diametrically opposite said slit and said portions of the abutments also extending through the inner end of the slot. 7

13. In a curtain roller construction, a barrel and a unitary structure insertable in the barrel as a unit and comprising a mandrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one endthereto, means for anchoring the other end of the spring to the barrel, and a head for one end of the barrel mounted on the mandrel.

14. In a curtain roller construction, a barrel and a unitary structure insertable in the barrel as a unit and comprising a mandrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and means for anchoring .65 the other end of the spring to the barrel, a

head for one end of the barrel mounted OIl the mandrel, the barrel being formed with a lengthwise groove, the walls of which project into the barrel, the means anchoring said other end of the spring to the barrel including a part thrusting against the walls of said groove.

15. In a curtain roller construction, a barrel and a unitary structure insertable in the barrel as a unit and comprising a mandrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and means for anchoring the other end of the spring to the barrel, a head for one end of the barrel mounted on the mandrel near the outer end thereof, and a bearing member mounted on the mandrel near the inner end thereof and coacting with the barrel, 7

16. In a curtain roller construction, a barrel and a unitary structure'insertable in the barrel as a unit and comprising a mandrel, a spring encircling the mandrel and anchored at one end thereto and means for anchoring the other end of the spring to the barrel, a head for one end of the barrel mounted on the mandrel near the outer end thereof, a bearing member mounted on the mandrel near the other end thereof and coacting with the barrel, the barrel being formed with a lengthwise groove, the walls of which project into the barrel and the bearing member and the means for anchoring said other end of the spring to the barrel thrusting against the Walls of the groove.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names, at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart, and in the State of Indiana,this 8th day of August, 1930.

THOMAS W. HOLT.

JOHN F. LEVAN. 

